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Walton Foundation Invests $32 Million in Indonesian Fisheries

News Source: Philanthropy News Digest

The Walton Family Foundation has announced a four-year, $32 million initiative to promote and support sustainable fisheries in Indonesia.

Indonesia's seafood industry is among the largest in the world, generating $5 billion in export revenue and employing more than nine million people. However, studies estimate that the country's fishing industry could generate $2.3 billion more in revenue if its fisheries were sustainably managed. The new initiative, which builds on the foundation's efforts in the region over the past ten years, will partner with the Indonesian government, nongovernmental organizations, and businesses to advance fishing policies and practices that align Indonesia’s environmental, social, and economic interests.

To that end, the foundation will invest in management reforms for a select number of economically and socially important fisheries, including blue swimming crab, tuna, and snapper-grouper. The initiative will focus on improving the ability of Indonesian fishery management agencies to use strong scientific information and tools as the basis for making decisions; supporting the implementation of rights-based fisheries management to secure long-term rights for local fishing communities; and implementing changes at every level of the supply chain so that seafood and fishing businesses are rewarded for adopting sustainable practices.

"Through our work in Indonesia over the past ten years, we have learned that fishing smarter, not harder, at sustainable levels is the best way to make fisheries more plentiful and generate economic security for fishing communities," said Rob Walton, chair of the Walton Family Foundation's environment committee. "Every morning, millions of Indonesian fishermen head out in small boats, many without motors, to make a living and feed their families. We are proud to continue our investments in Indonesia to improve its long-term economic prosperity while also protecting the health of the ocean."